The Future of National Parks Leadership

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Who We Are

The Class of 2016 is composed of high school students from communities surrounding the national park that will graduate in 2016, the same year of the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary. The NPS has put forth a call to action in training the youth of our nation to become leaders in areas such as conservation biology, environmental stewardship, and the future of our national parks.

In cooperation with Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont has gathered 5 initial members of the class who kicked-off the program this summer with a 6-day program at Tremont that included a 4-day backpacking trip in the Smokies wilderness. Throughout the year, the students will participate in a variety of programs put on by both the national park and Tremont. Each summer through 2016, all members of the class will gather for a week of in-depth experience in the Smokies with the goal of forming a strong team and vision for becoming the leaders that they aspire to be.